Chapter 220 — Cassian’s Girlfriend?

Chapter 220: Chapter 220 — Cassian’s Girlfriend?

~ Raven ~

Raven stared at Isolde, wondering whether several days of unconsciousness had finally done something terrible to the woman’s brain.

"Are you fucking serious?" she demanded, looking at her in disbelief. "Goddess, Isolde, you’ve barely been awake an hour, and you’re already playing ridiculous games with me?"

Isolde didn’t answer immediately. She was still studying Raven with a strange expression, although the initial shock gradually faded into confusion.

"I’m not playing games," she said, drawing back slightly.

"Then what the hell was that supposed to mean? I was literally inside that nightmare with you!"

"I know, Raven." Isolde frowned, already reconsidering her own accusation. "You’re right. It doesn’t make sense."

"Congratulations on figuring that out."

Isolde ignored the sarcasm, her attention remaining fixed on Raven. "But I could have sworn I recognized something about you just now."

Raven’s irritation eased a little. "Recognized what?"

"The Dreamwalker’s scent. For a moment, when I leaned closer, I thought I could smell it on you."

Raven blinked.

"What?"

"Or something very similar to it," Isolde continued, looking increasingly troubled. "I can’t properly explain it."

Raven glanced down at herself before looking back at her. "How the hell would I have that bastard’s scent on me?"

"That’s precisely what I’m trying to understand." Isolde sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I think it has something to do with my wolf. She’s the one recognizing it, and whenever I try to make sense of what she’s telling me, I get nowhere."

Raven settled back in her chair, thoroughly confused.

"Maybe you’re confusing it with something from the nightmare," she suggested.

"Perhaps." Isolde looked considerably less certain than before. "After everything that happened, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised if my senses are behaving strangely."

Raven wasn’t entirely reassured.

The possibility that the Dreamwalker might have left something behind on her was unpleasant enough without Isolde suddenly deciding she smelled like the bastard.

She was about to ask another question when raised voices interrupted them.

"I’m perfectly capable of finding my own sister, thank you very much!"

Raven paused, recognizing the indignant voice almost immediately.

Deb?

"And yet you’ve spent the last minute arguing instead of showing me where she is."

The second voice was male, calm and unmistakably familiar.

Raven went still.

Oh, fuck.

Before she could properly process what she’d heard, her wolf surged with such powerful longing that warmth spread through the mark near her collarbone.

No. Not now.

Of all the people who could have decided to visit the infirmary, why did it have to be him?

Her heartbeat quickened, and the longing grew stronger, accompanied by the ridiculous desire to get up and hurry toward the doorway.

Raven resisted it immediately.

She was still angry with Cassian Blade, and unlike her treacherous wolf, she hadn’t forgotten why.

Unfortunately, knowing that didn’t make her any less aware of his approaching presence.

For one embarrassing moment, she seriously considered leaving through another door, although doing so would have been rather difficult without Isolde noticing.

Instead, Raven remained seated, straightened her back and arranged her expression into what she hoped was complete indifference.

Her heart, naturally, refused to cooperate.

Outside, Deb was still arguing.

"I already told you she’s awake! Why are you asking me the same question again?"

"Because I asked where she was, Deb."

"Then you could’ve said that!"

"I did."

"Goddess, you’re irritating!"

A quiet chuckle followed, and a moment later, Deb appeared in the doorway with Cassian walking beside her.

"You’re still an insufferable bastard," she complained, glaring up at him.

Cassian looked thoroughly amused by the accusation. "And you’ve become even more troublesome since the last time I saw you."

Before Deb could respond, he casually reached down and ruffled her hair.

"Cassian!" She immediately slapped his hand away, looking scandalized. "Will you stop doing that? I’m not a little girl anymore!"

"Of course not," he agreed, although the smile on his face suggested he didn’t believe a word of it.

"I’m serious!"

"So am I."

Deb narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced, before deciding that arguing with him was a waste of her considerable intelligence.

"Anyway, how’s Sylvia? I haven’t seen her in ages."

Cassian’s expression softened slightly at the mention of that name.

"She’s fine. Still convinced she’ll somehow persuade the Headmaster to admit her to Valerius before she’s old enough."

Deb laughed. "Goddess, she really hasn’t changed. Tell her I said hello, alright? And tell her I’ll visit when I get the chance."

"I will," Cassian assured her, still smiling as he finally looked into the room.

Then he saw Raven.

For a moment, he stopped walking, and something about his expression changed as their eyes met.

Raven held his gaze for a second before deliberately looking away.

Do not react.

Her wolf, the traitorous creature, seemed positively delighted by his presence, and the warmth beneath her collarbone did very little to help her maintain her composure.

Cassian appeared about to address her, but after a brief hesitation, he turned toward Isolde instead.

"Isolde."

His eyes moved over her pale face and the cloak wrapped around her shoulders. "Why the hell are you out of bed?"

Isolde raised an eyebrow.

"Lovely to see you too, Cassian."

"You’ve barely recovered."

"And yet, here I am," she replied, spreading her hands slightly.

Cassian looked unimpressed. "That’s not an answer."

"It wasn’t meant to be."

For several seconds, he regarded her with the expression of a man reconsidering whether visiting had been a good idea.

Isolde merely smiled before tilting her head.

"Actually, how did you know I was awake?"

Cassian raised an eyebrow, apparently surprised that she’d even asked.

They regarded each other for a moment before a knowing smile slowly spread across Isolde’s face.

"Oh, I see."

Cassian said nothing.

"I always suspected you knew," she continued, sounding considerably more amused now. "Honestly, I should’ve expected it. Nothing gets past the great Cassian Blade, does it?"

His mouth curved slightly. "Not usually."

Deb frowned, looking between them. "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing important, darling," Isolde replied.

"That’s what you always say when you’re hiding something!"

Cassian ignored the complaint and returned his attention to Isolde. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, much better, thank you." Isolde adjusted her cloak before glancing toward Raven, and something distinctly mischievous appeared in her eyes. "Although I must say, Cassian, it’s terribly rude of you to ignore your girlfriend when she’s sitting right in front of you."

Raven’s head snapped toward her.

"Isolde, what the fuck!"

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.

Deb’s eyes widened as she looked from Raven to Cassian and then back again.

"Girlfriend?"

Nobody answered quickly enough to satisfy her.

"Wait." She turned toward Raven, her expression becoming increasingly astonished. "You’re Cassian’s girlfriend?"

Raven opened her mouth, but Deb had already turned toward Cassian again.

"Oh, my Goddess!"

She looked positively delighted.

"Cassian Blade has a girlfriend? You? Of all people?"

Cassian gave her an unimpressed look. "Is that supposed to be insulting?"

"Of course it is!" Deb laughed, clearly finding the entire situation unbelievable. "Goddess, Cas, I genuinely thought you’d spend the rest of your life frightening women away with that miserable face of yours!"

Isolde covered her mouth, although the movement did very little to conceal her laughter.

Deb was nowhere near finished.

"How did you even manage it? You’ve probably ignored hundreds of women by now, and somehow this girl decided you’re worth the trouble?"

Raven slowly turned toward her.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, don’t misunderstand me, Raven. I’m genuinely impressed." Deb looked her over with renewed fascination. "I just can’t imagine how anyone managed to get through that thick skull of his."

Cassian sighed. "Deb."

"What?"

"Enough."

"I’m only curious!"

Raven was beginning to suspect that the entire Marchmont family had been created specifically to test her patience.

Unfortunately, Deb appeared to have one final question.

She turned toward Cassian, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Wait, have you two kissed yet?"

Heat rushed into Raven’s cheeks before she could stop it.

Cassian glanced toward her, and the faint amusement returning to his expression made matters considerably worse.

Raven decided she’d had enough.

"Well," she announced, rising from her chair, "this has been lovely, but I think I’ll be taking my leave."

Isolde blinked at her sudden movement. "Already?"

"Yes, already."

"But you haven’t finished—"

"I’ve finished quite enough, thank you."

Deb looked thoroughly confused. "Why are you leaving? I was only asking a question!"

"And I’m choosing not to answer it."

Raven turned toward the doorway, determined to escape before anyone could make the situation more embarrassing.

She’d barely taken two steps when a hand closed gently around her wrist.

"Raven, wait."